tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783969302315257415.post4027681016031107365..comments2024-03-16T01:00:19.876-05:00Comments on The Mad Monarchist: Consort Profile: Empress Eugenie of FranceMadMonarchisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08083008336883267870noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783969302315257415.post-62746658512022556972011-12-02T23:12:03.550-06:002011-12-02T23:12:03.550-06:00Wow... THIS is OLD! But it was a nice read nonethe...Wow... THIS is OLD! But it was a nice read nonetheless. If I had some bad things to say about the Bonaparte, I really have nothing bad to say about Empress Eugénie. She had to endure many things, such as an unfaithful husband and the early death of her son, but she managed to live all the way up to the 20th century. She was such a strong-willed woman and I heard even Queen Victoria of UK respected her enough to call her "sister". As much as I really like Napoléon III, it wasn't so nice to have mistresses around... and why? You have one of the most beautiful woman of all Europe here! Okay... big eyes, sure, but that's typical of Spanish women... I think :|<br /><br />I read someplace Eugénie remarked that "men never change", referring to her husband's infidelity. Then there's also that story where she would not lay with Napoléon because she found "sex disgusting". Yeah, maybe because he was around twenty years older than she was. I wonder how she ended up with him anyhow. And that other story where she did her duty, but the doctor told the Emperor that the child she was bearing and the Empress herself both had little chance of surviving after the labour. But praise be to God, they both lived and the son they had would end up securing the dynasty (well, he was supposed to)! Do not quote me for this; it is only what I have heard.<br /><br />That picture there with her grieving for her son is really sad. I'd imagine her health deteriorated a lot after 1879. I did realise that nearly everything she did was purely religiously motivated unlike her husband. No doubt the Emperor's decisions were influenced by the Empress many times, even if he (may have) had other motives. And apparently, according to Napoléon III, she was a Legitimist! Or maybe it was a figure of speech due to her intense adoration for Marie Antoinette? Rather disappointing that she and Marie Antoinette's daughter never met each other.<br /><br />« Quel gouvernement que le mien ! l'impératrice est légitimiste, Napoléon-Jérôme républicain, Morny, orléaniste ; je suis moi-même socialiste. Il n'y a de bonapartiste que Persigny : mais Persigny est fou ! »<br /><br />That's a really funny quote there, but Napoléon III is saying here how there were different types of people under the Bonaparte banner. There it says "The Empress is a legitimist". Eh, more the reason to like her for me I guess. <br /><br />Oh yes. I came across this old literature online published in 1921 called "The true story of the Empress Eugénie". I have not finished it yet but it seems quite interesting. How true it is? I do not know but Eugénie does not seem as pure in her youth as she turned out later (at least in this book) :/Le Petit Princehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13396710488106186707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783969302315257415.post-17877090384562623732011-03-24T20:56:09.942-05:002011-03-24T20:56:09.942-05:00It is interesting that the fates of both Emperors ...It is interesting that the fates of both Emperors were tied to prominent women, who were equally great advisers. Josephine to Napoleon I, and Eugenie to Napoleon III.<br />I like how you point out the Emperor's pragmatic defense of Catholicism. It is an excellent way to demonstrate the conflicts that a secular leader must face in light of the division of Church and State. It reminds me of the interesting case of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. He was divided between the well-being of his Protestant and Catholic subjects, but also his duty towards the Church. The Treaty of Aubsburg is a sort of concession to the Protestants that exemplifies that conflict within secular leaders.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com